• March 25, 2014: Aneesh Chopra, who was appointed by President Barack Obama as America’s first chief technology officer, has co-founded a data and analytics company

BIO:

Aneesh Chopra lives life with energy and passion second to none. He is not afraid to tackle the most difficult problems, and he has a record of using innovative approaches to solve them. Aneesh brings experience and a deep commitment to education, opportunity, and equality to everything he does. As a candidate for Lieutenant Governor of Virginia, Aneesh is committed to addressing the Commonweath’s biggest challenges with energy, optimism, and determination.

Born the son of immigrants in Trenton, New Jersey, Aneesh Chopra has spent his life focusing on education and innovation. Aneesh’s father immigrated to the United States in 1966, and enrolled in the engineering program at Villanova University. He would go on to earn three patents for his work in the refrigeration industry. His mother began a career as an entry-level clerk and worked her way up to become a financial project manager. Aneesh’s family worked hard to lift themselves into the middle class and give their children access to great public schools and all of the opportunities afforded by a strong education.

Aneesh attended Johns Hopkins University and then the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard. After graduate school, Aneesh worked in the private sector, including a job at the Advisory Board Company – a healthcare think tank dedicated to helping hospitals better serve patients. While at the Advisory Board Company, Governor Mark Warner appointed Aneesh to several councils and commissions. Through this work, Aneesh decided he wanted to pursue his lifelong dream of entering public service. He began full-time service to the Commonwealth when Governor Tim Kaine tapped him to serve as Virginia’s Secretary of Technology. In this position he traveled throughout Virginia helping families and small businesses harness the power of technology and innovation to find pragmatic solutions, create jobs and improve their quality of life.

In 2009, based on his record of success in Virginia, President Obama appointed Aneesh as the nation’s first Chief Technology Officer. In this role, Aneesh was charged with promoting innovation to address the nation’s most urgent priorities -- from creating jobs to reducing health care costs and keeping our nation secure. As with his work in Virginia, Aneesh brought new energy to tackle some of our nation’s biggest problems. Upon Aneesh’s departure to run for office, President Obama said, “his legacy of leadership and innovation will benefit Americans for years to come, and I thank him for his outstanding service.”

Aneesh ran for the Democratic nomination for Virginia Lt. Governor in 2013. He presently serves as co-chair of the Virginia Democratic Party Coordinated Campaign. He lives in Arlington with his wife Rohini Chopra and their two daughters.

NRI appointed Virginia's Secy of health information Technology

Virginia, Dec. 16, 2005
Ramesh Malhotra

Virginia, Governor, Tim Kaine has named Aneesh Chopra the state's new secretary of .health information technology expert.

NRI, Aneesh Chopra, 33, is managing director at the Advisory Board Company, which provides best-practices research and analysis to health care companies. His appointment signals the growing importance of health e-records for both state and federal government. Chopra will also work on issues affecting technology companies in Northern Virginia.

Chopra was appointed to the Governor's Electronic Health Records Task Force earlier this year, in which he worked to identify technology strategies to decrease health care costs and improve patient safety.

"Aneesh's experience in the private sector and with state committees seeking to control health care costs through technology will be an important addition to my cabinet," Kaine said in a statement. Chopra will work with other members of the governor's cabinet to expand the use of IT to serve citizens and promote Virginia to technology companies, Kaine said.

Chopra will replace Eugene Huang, who has served as secretary of technology under Gov. Mark Warner since Oct. 1, 2004. Chopra will be the first Indian American to hold a cabinet-level position in Virginia

Chopra received a bachelor's degree in public health from Johns Hopkins University and a master's in public policy from Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government.

Aneesh Chopra

• Aneesh Chopra, who was appointed by President Barack Obama as America’s first chief technology officer, has co-founded a data and analytics company aimed at healthcare, education and energy sectors.